Speaking in a video posted on a television station’s YouTube page on Tuesday, the 47-year-old screen icon made it clear that while she enjoys dancing, she strongly rejects the idea of turning it into a compulsory marketing tool for movies.
“I’m sorry, I will not be doing the dancing. It’s just not me,” Omotola said. “There’s a difference between dancing because you feel like it and dancing because you have to. When it becomes a chore, when it becomes something you must do to sell a movie it stops being professional.”
According to the actress, actors should focus on their craft and allow trained professionals to handle marketing, advertising and distribution a structure she described as the standard in more developed film industries.
“I’ve already done the project. I should talk about it and promote it, yes. But the people whose jobs are to distribute and advertise should take it from there. That’s the professional thing to do,” she stated.
“Actors Are Not Content Creators”
Omotola further stressed that actors should not be forced into becoming full-time content creators in order to remain relevant or employable.
“There’s nothing wrong with promoting your work,” she said. “But when the burden is almost entirely on the actor and you’re doing nearly demeaning things just to sell a project it becomes exhausting.”
Drawing comparisons with Hollywood, the OAU alumna noted that many globally celebrated actors maintain minimal or no social media presence, yet continue to thrive based on talent, discipline and professionalism.
“You won’t find Daniel Day-Lewis on social media. You barely see Leonardo DiCaprio online. These people come, do their job, and leave. Marketing is handled by those trained for it,” she added.
Optional, Not Compulsory
While acknowledging that social media promotion can be fun and effective, Omotola insisted it should remain optional never mandatory.
“If I choose to dance or create content for fun, that’s different. But once it becomes scheduled, compulsory and tied to whether you get hired again, then someone else’s job has been dumped on you,” she said.
The actress revealed that some actors are now being sidelined or denied roles simply because they refuse to participate in such promotional trends.
Experience Under Threat
Omotola also criticised the growing practice of casting influencers with large social media followings at the expense of trained and experienced actors.
“We don’t respect experience in Nigeria,” she said. “People who have spent years building this craft are being compared with influencers who are famous for a moment.
That imbalance is hurting the industry.”
According to her, cost-cutting by filmmakers has worsened the situation, with actors expected to act, market, promote and sometimes even carry projects alone.
“So you end up with bad acting, exhausted professionals, and a system that rewards shortcuts over discipline and experience,” she warned.
A Call for Professional Boundaries
Omotola’s remarks have since sparked conversations across Nollywood, reopening long-standing questions about professionalism, labour boundaries and sustainability in the Nigerian film industry.
Her message is clear: acting is a profession, marketing is another and blurring the lines may be costing Nollywood more than it realises.
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